March Blot Meeting Notes

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March 24

Members in Attendance: Ruby, Thomas, Teddie, Nessa, Archie, Sarah, Matt, Jason, Mike,  Will, Demo, Amber, Allison and kids.

Old Business:

1) Discussed collecting goods for the Garage and Craft sale on April 30th.   Contact Ruby, Nessa, Ted, or Thomas for where/when to drop it off.

2) Friday March 29th is a crafting event at Ruby’s house ( 11364 Windsor Ave, DS ).   Goods made will go towards the Craft Sale on the 20th.   Bring quilting materials and old t-shirts for the house quilt.

3) Charity:  Collecting old cell phones for the troops,  Care packages for the troops ( Travel size items, Non perishable foods, crystal light, ect… ), project to clean tires out of a park pond, continue collecting for WOW.

New Business:

1) The Next Blot is April 27th at Tom and Sarah’s place.   It’s the one year anniversary and the BBQ pit will be going.   grilling meat and Pot luck.

2) Discussed creation of a marital order, Will to Sensei.

3) Jason wood like to give a visual arts class,  Ted to give wood burning class.  Dates yet to be determined.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure: House Garage Sale

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The House is having a garage sale on April 20th at the home of Elder Nessa.   All proceeds of donated goods will go towards the House goals for this year.

The garage sale will be hosted at 1536 Cooper ST.  Denham Springs La, 70726.   As it is planning now it will be a Saturday and Sunday event.

Donations can be dropped of to any of the three Elders or the Thane.    Donations can be made as a whole or partial percentage of the sale.   All proceeds of the sale will go towards the tax certification of the House.

More information to come on the House Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/House-of-the-North/106814262778851

 

Call it…Heavy Metal!

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We are looking for scrap metal as a way to fund getting our 501c3 status. What qualifies as scrap? Well…anything metal, really. Busted refrigerators and air conditioners, pipes, aluminum cans, any kind of wiring, old car parts…if it has metal in it, we can recycle it (good for the environment) and make some money off of it (good for us). If it needs pickup, I’ll gladly make the trip or find
somebody who will.

I will also be more than happy to host a ‘How-To’ on how to break down machines to their basic metals for ease of sorting and to increase value. As an example, a fridge (whole) takes up a lot of space and has a low scrap value. You can increase that by ripping the copper piping out and pulling out the wiring to be sold seperately, as copper has a high value.

If you are unsure on if something qualifies or don’t know how to safely break it down, CONTACT ME! I don’t want anyone getting hurt or showing up with a 200lb television that we only get 3oz’s of copper wire from.

Welcoming the Coming Autumn!

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With a shiny new Thane in place, we are set to finish out the year strong!  Our first official ceremony is coming up this Blot, our drives for Women Outreaching Women have been fantastic, and our members continue to impress me with their dedication to the cause.

Details on our open-circle Mabon ceremony are available on the Events page.

House of the North goes Tiki Tubing

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I was driving by Tiki Tubing the other day, and had a notion that it would be fun to have a House event where we went tubing for the morning/afternoon and retired to a bbq at my house afterwards.  While ruminating on the logistics, my mind wandered a bit into the whimsical, and the idea of a viking themed tubing adventure suddenly took hold.  At first, it was simply coming up viking themed swimwear and maybe some war paint. Mead instead of beer in the cooler.  Oooh!  A custom cooler that looks like a viking longship!

Then, things got real.  I realized that proper attire would involve some weaponry.  Now we have armed vikings floating down a river, full of beaches where squishy people are drinking and cavorting, completely unsuspecting of a potential raid of their coolers and women.  They are unarmed, unarmored, and drunk.  It would be an insult to the Viking stereotype NOT to pillage their camps and sink their ships, erm, tubes.

Things stopped being fun when law enforcement entered my imaginings.  While it would be nice to say it was a church outing and thus perfectly legal, I just don’t see them buying it.  My thought train didn’t end there, though.  I decided that to do this properly for the summer, we would have to live in the woods, with some form of swift river transportation that’s easily towed onto land.  Our raids would have to be quick, and occur all across the tubing route.  We would have to march overland to different spots to hit the water from, and make sure we’re not leaving a pattern.

I saw this going on for a few days before, yet again, law enforcement spoiled the fun with hounds and search parties.  Just as my mind began to try to overcome that challenge, I realized how much time and thought I was dedicating to the whimsy, and called a stop.

I have to admit, though.  The newspaper headlines from going through with something like this would be hilarious.

 

The End

 

 

My apologies…

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It’s been a little quiet here lately.  Personal projects and work, sprinkled lightly with procrastination are mostly to blame.  My apologies.

Blot the First was, well, successful.  The House has taken up Women Outreaching Women as a cause to stand for, and yet again, we rocked the donation bin.  This couldn’t have happened without the goodwill and support of, dare I say, awesome people.  You have the House’s sincere gratitude for your contributions.

In addition to the charity work, we also held our first Sumbel and welcomed new members into the House.  To be completely honest, I was a bit surprised (pleasantly) at how many joined our cause.  I look forward to seeing what our new family is capable of.

We also announced a Discussion on the Virtues that will be occurring on Sunday the 13th.  More details can be gleaned from the May Events page.

Finally, in closing, we’ve set up Blot II, the Blottening(still working on the title) on May 26th.  I’ll post it officially once we sort out the details.

The End.

 

Thoughts On Perspective

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Yesterday I looked in the mirror. I stood and stared a good long while at my skin, noticing the changes that time and age and weather have done to it. I miss having alabaster, marble like texture to my face. I mourn smooth cheeks free of lines, with even skin tone. I remember days of youth where my complexion was so fair I applied baby powder in lieu of store bought foundation because there was no shade light enough to suit me. I got sad. I thought about what the upcoming years would bring to my skin. More lines, shifts in gravity, splotches, sun spots, the roundness of my cheeks flattening out and making me look slack and hollow.

Then I thought about the universe and its great never ending expanse of space and time. I realized what a small cog I was in a vast great wheel. I looked deep into my pores and wondered if there were sentient beings that were smaller cogs than I living up my skin completely unaware that their entire lives and all of the world that they have ever know was a ticking time bomb, not to be destroyed by atom annihilation or a sun imploding upon itself after taking one last breath but destroyed instead by the tip of my finger brushing a single skin cell free from my body.

Instead of looking out upon a vast universe in which I held a tiny part, insignificant in the grand scheme of things I though in reverse. I saw cells give way and saw beneath lines and scars. The deeper my mind delved inward the smaller scale unfolded. Entire solar systems of life, galaxies unfolded on an atomic and subatomic level. My mind raced inward, contemplating things on a smaller and grander scale. I wondered about all the things that exist beyond what modern science can identify with microscopes and telescopes and laboratories. Surely life exists on planes in which we have yet to discover, in ways we may never in my lifetime have the technology precise and elegant enough or sensitive enough to discover, explore, or understand. Suddenly I saw myself not as a rapidly declining object spiraling towards becoming obsolete. Suddenly I saw myself not on the crushing end of a large cosmic thumb lingering over my existence and waiting to snuff me out. Quietly and alone in my bathroom I saw a universe of possibilities unfold all of which had me in the center of life unknown. A feeling of pure and unabashed calm came over me. I’ve never felt more humble or aware of how one tiny cog in a vast machine could have such am important role. Take that wrinkles.

Often we feel weighed down by what we perceive as burdens in life and often we feel powerless or upset by events that unfold outside of our control. How often do we stop and look at the grander picture and wonder how our load in life benefits those around us in not just a direct way, but indirectly? If I have learned no other truth in my time on this planet it is this: Everyone has a story.  The actions that you make in this world without much thought behind them may have lasting effects either positive or negative towards your fellow man. A simple smile at a stranger whose life story you do not know may bring forth life long changes for the better. It sounds cliché, but it’s true. Your random smile to someone who is downtrodden and feeling the weight of a lifetime of sorrow or has recently felt some deep and troubling pain or loss may give them a tiny bit of hope. In the words of one of my favorite writers, Jim Butcher, “Hope is a force of nature. Don’t let anyone tell you different.” It may sound clichéd, butterfly wings in the Amazon and all, but it’s true.

Currently I work two jobs, a forty hour week Monday through Friday gig that pays the majority of the bills and provide health insurance for the family and a part time weekend job bar tending that pays for luxury items like food, gas, and the student loan I will be paying off until I am 117. I am often tired, annoyed, and by the end of some days simply not a nice person to be around. I am human. Some days negativity seems to win. I try very hard to make those days few and far between by thinking of how my actions are perceived by those closest to me.

Obviously, I would prefer to be someone my close family and friends use as an example of good work ethic, selflessness, and generosity rather than a cranky pants who is no fun to be around. I put in a marked effort to give to others when I can, be it financially or by being a compassionate friend and giving my time when my funds are not what I wish they were. I try to always analyze each negative that comes my way so that I may find some hidden positive or at the very least see it as an opportunity to grow as a person by enduring and overcoming adversity.

 

I have a tattoo of the word “Perspective” on my upper back (no tramp stamps for me, thank you very much). When asked what it means I explain what that word means to me. Perspective to me is the difference between being upset that you only have a dollar to your name and feeling blessed that you have enough money to buy ramen and eat for four meals.

How often to you try to find something good in the bad things that occur in the world around you? How committed are you to changing your perspective of the events in your life for the better? How strong is your desire to become a more positive light in the world around you? Often the most powerful lights we perceive are those that beckon to us from complete and utter darkness. It’s easy to shine when light is all around you and things are all happy and bright. Harder to achieve is striking a match in the dark and kindling a fire bright enough to help find the way out.

Perspective is a beautiful thing. Think about what you can do to change yours for the world around you.

Concerning Self Reliance

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As is the standard when I type these up, this is my personal take on the Virtues, and not to be taken as ‘law’ as it pertains to the House.

Self Reliance is a combination of Fidelity(faith to one’s self),Discipline(staying focused on your goals), Industry(working hard and enjoying the results), and Perseverance(not giving up when things get hard). It means that you can stand on your own in all things and still come out for the better.

It’s odd to think of a Virtue that laughs in the face of the ‘No Man is an Island’ philosophy as something that is beneficial to a community.  Think of it like this.  A person that can stand on their own is far more likely to be in a position to help someone who has faltered.  It’s hard to give shelter to a friend if you’re living on someone’s couch.  It’s hard to get groceries for your aging parents if you’re on food stamps.  It’s hard to put time in doing charity work if you’re working two jobs to keep from going under.  It’s hard to give emotional support to a friend if you’re unable to recognize or work past your own issues.  Notice I said ‘hard’, not ‘impossible’. In all these situations, doing the good thing is taxing. Being self reliant lowers the price of doing good works for others to the point to where you can afford to do a lot more good for a lot less cost.

There’s a few subsets to Self Reliance.  I’m going to focus on Financial and Emotional.

Financial Self Reliance does not mean being rich.  It’s simply living within your means and being financially responsible, whether you are living by yourself or if you’re in a ‘team’ financial situation.  There is a certain liberation that comes with having little to no debt and a chunk of ‘for emergency use only’ money in the bank. What you work for is actually building you up instead of sinking into the black holes of payday loans, credit cards, pawn shops, and, ugh, student loans.  Look, if you find yourself living continually off of loans and credit cards, you are not self reliant.  If you lose a weeks pay because of illness or a family emergency and it puts you in the red, you are not in a place of strength. You are in a bad spot that is creating stress and more financial burden.  When you make things so that you aren’t stressing over money and do not need a line of credit to exist, if you can get sick for a month and not have to worry about your bills, you have reached financial self reliance.

I cannot stress enough that this does not mean ‘strive to get rich’.  It means ‘strive to be rid of debt and financial stress’.  Living paycheck to paycheck is a miserable existence.  The world won’t hand you a way out of that kind of lifestyle.  You have to earn it.

How does this help a community?  You become a walking example.  You are proof that if you grind it out and make the necessary sacrifices, you can cast off the shackles.  Not only that, you are in a much better spot to aid a brother in need.  You can offer wisdom from experience, a roof, a meal…you can take a day off of work (because you can afford to) to help with something.  You can contribute money instead of time if your schedule is tight.

My wife and I make a decent income…yet I drink Miller High Life ($17 for a pack of 30 cans), roll my own cigarettes ($40ish bucks for a months supply of tubes and tobacco for the both of us), and we don’t have any form of cable tv(just internet, we stream every show we want to watch).  It’s not that we can’t afford premium beer, cable tv, or name brand smokes…it’s that we’d rather put that $300 combined savings towards, you know, a future.  That’s just 3 of the lifestyle changes we’ve made to ensure we are in a good position. Because of this and other hard choices, we’re both able to aid our family and friends when the need arises.

*quick disclaimer: I am by no means perfect.  I slip, and make mistakes, and still do stupid things with money from time to time.  While we are in a good position monetarily, I fully admit that it could be even better if we made more sacrifices.  In other words, we’re a good example, not a flawless one.

Okay, so, I’ve pointed out what Financial Self Reliance is.  Some of you are there already.  Some of you are actively working to be there.  Some of you want to be there but don’t know how or have given up hope. If you’re in the first two groups…congratulations.  If you’re in the third, feel free to consult with me.  I am not a licensed financial adviser, but I have screwed up an awful lot over the years, and am more than willing to share what these hard lessons have taught.

Moving on now.

Emotional Self Reliance.  Look, everyone needs some kind of emotional support structure involving friends and family.  This isn’t about shutting everyone out and tackling your own issues solo.  It’s about knowing when not to burden others.

I’m going to have to give an example here, so bear with me.

Okay, so this is a bit sad, but picture a scenario where a loving husband and father of two loses his wife to cancer suddenly.  The children(son, 20 yrs old and daughter, 23 years old) and their father are completely lacking in emotional self reliance.  The mother was always the one they could turn to to vent, she was always the one that pointed out useless anger, always the one to soothe hurt feelings, always the one to point out silver linings.  Regardless of how her day went and her own stress, she was always able to help her family process theirs.  And now she’s gone.

The above scenario is a ticking time bomb.  Emotional outbursts, hurtful words, deep depression, misplaced anger.  This could very likely leave deep scars or even tear the family apart.

Right, so same scenario, except the loving father is also emotionally self reliant.  Sure, he would like to grieve, but he knows his children need him.  He copes with his grief on his own while helping the children work through theirs.  It’s stormy seas, but father is able to keep the ship on course through the storm.  He may be a little worse for wear, it might take him a little longer to process the loss, but the family stays whole with only moderate damage.

Last one…same situation, except the father and the children are emotionally self reliant.  They can process their grief alone and together.  They can take turns being strong when the others falter.  They make it through with minimal damage, and probably with strengthened bonds.

I know the above is a bit of an extreme example, but it’s validity is solid.  Knowing how to process your emotions, how to put them away for a while, allows you to do more than just help those that are grieving.  It’s how you keep from panicking in an emergency, how you make sound decisions even though you’re filled with anger or fear, it’s how you show confidence even when you’re not feeling it.

It isn’t just about knowing how to deal with your own emotions…it’s recognizing when your friends and family need help to process theirs. It all starts with controlling your reactions.  Try it out in traffic.  The next time somebody cuts you off, do not lay on the horn or wave the finger or scream obscenities.  Take a deep breath.  Analyze exactly why you got angry…did you not see it coming and had to slam on your brakes?  Did it start off as fright?  Have you been watching this person zigging through traffic behind you and did you suspect they would dart in front of you as they pulled up beside, and you’re mad because you dislike aggressive drivers?  This plays a bit with Honesty…if you can get to the root cause of the knee jerk emotional response, you stand a far better chance of not letting it run away with you or ruin your mood.  It allows you to realize when your emotional response to something is pointless or selfish or based on another situation entirely.  It allows you to keep a level head in an emergency, and to process the negative aspect of emotions faster and more productively.

So there you have it.  How focusing on bettering yourself allows you better help those around you.  And yet again, another Virtue that I am cutting short because I’ve realized there’s a books worth of material here to cover.

Last Event/Next Events

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First, real quick, I posted a section concerning membership in the About section.  Hopefully, that will answer most questions people have.  Now, on to the Open House.

I’d like to thank everybody that showed up.  It was a great turnout(some 20-25 adults, the one time I counted), the food was tasty(thank ya Trey for manning the pit), Teddie did a bang-up job with his speech, the charity drive was a big success(see the pic below), and I had a blast meeting everyone and hearing about what’s going on in the local communities. Again…thanks to all who attended and contributed.

As for our next couple events, we have an open forum, q and a deal on the 18th, and then our first official Blot on the 28th.  Both events can be found on facebook, so sign up there or drop us an email if you plan on attending an event.  More details concerning the Blot will be coming down the line.

 

The End.